A blog about the beautiful game as it affects Nigeria and Nigerian Players , home and abroad.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

BARCELONA: FAVORED OR JUST TOO GOOD?

*This piece was fowarded to me about 2 months ago, what ever you read her has no lining to the quater-finals or semis of the UCL, just random musings from a good friend and childhood football pa, Shuaibu Umoru.

BARCELONA: FAVORED OR JUST TOO GOOD?

The controversies that surround Barcelona FC of Spain know no boundaries. The team has been called so many names in recent times due to referee’s calls in matches concerning this team. Names like Platini's team, Uefa team, and even fifa team. Well personally I think that is wrong as this a team that plays wonderful football and makes the game interesting and worthwhile to watch. Let's look at this team in all aspects and see whether it’s being favored by the authorities or it’s a good team. First base on these four facts that i put together I think Barcelona is a good and like other teams before them it’s their time to shine.

1. Among all the big teams in Europe Barca is the only team that does not have a regular back four, the Real Madrid, Arsenal, Bayern M., Ajax, Minute, Chelsea Macmillan Inter Milan, Juventus, all these teams have a regular back four, full backs and center halves but not Barca , they make do with a make shift backline . Only Puyol, Pique and Alves are the natural defenders ,that this great team has.

2. All the players in Barca fc know about their weakness at the back. By the way the play you will see that.

3. Once again among all the big teams Barca are they only who start marking from the half off their opponents. Closing their opponents with such quickness makes it impossible for the opponents to come close to their weak defence. This is base on the fact that all the players are aware that their defence.

4, No team keeps the ball like Barca players, making it difficult to take the ball away. And sometimes the opposing teams results to being physical and referees are left with no option but to make calls for Barca.

My advice to opposing teams is try hard and attack the weak defence. You will always score. Please, Barca are not favored they just work hard.

About Andrew Randa

Football knucklehead. Nigerian football aficionado. Frustrated Plateau United & Arsenal fan. Father and Husband. Works published on major Nigerian football websites and newspapers. I've also done work for footballspeak.com, goal.com, KickOff Magazine (defunct) and other international websites. I was also a co-presenter on 'Sports File' on NTA Jos in the late nineties.